Alpha's Regret After Putting Me In Jail novel Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Struck A Royal Claim

Chapter 40: Struck A Royal Claim

(Celeste’s POV)

Pain throbbed with every step I took. My body was on fire, searing agony spreading from every

silver–burned scar Lucas had left on me.

The air around Regina was stifling, thick with dominance and control. My wolf whimpered

weakly, too battered to resist.

“You must take the blame.” Her tone was calm, but her violet eyes gleamed with cold calculation. “The Winters Pack has embarrassed itself. If you wish to protect them from the Alpha King’s wrath, you will need to step forward and own the events at the temple.”

Her words had the weight of an ultimatum. There was no kindness behind them, only a subtle

threat.

I met her sharp gaze, swallowing down a mix of fear and fury. “I understand,” I said softly, my voice barely louder than a whisper. My throat burned from the effort.

Regina smiled then–not the warm smile of a wolf offering comfort, but the careful, measured smirk of someone winning a game only they understood. “Good. Very good. Then follow me.’

She turned, her graceful steps never faltering, her royal aura filling the halls like a suffocating fog. I hesitated for half a second before forcing my body to follow her. Every step I took sent spikes of pain shooting through my legs, but I couldn’t stop now.

As we moved through Regina Blackwood’s lavish halls, I felt the weight of the decision I had made pressing down on me. The intricate black and crimson tapestries that adorned the walls seemed to mock my vulnerability. The flickering moonstone lanterns cast long shadows against the floor, almost as if they were alive, moving with silent judgment.

Regina paused as we reached a massive set of carved blackwood doors. She turned slightly, her violet gaze locking onto me with piercing intensity.

“Remember what I said,” she said, her voice dangerously quiet. “If you let guilt sway your words here, there will be consequences–ones that even I may not shield you from.”

I nodded. My lips were dry, my heart pounding hard against my chest.

The doors creaked as they opened, revealing the council chamber beyond.

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Chapter 40: Struck A Royal Claim

The tension inside was palpable.

Alpha James stood near the grand council table, his back stiff and his expression tight with

fury just barely contained. His wolf’s energy flickered, restrained but simmering, a testament

to his wavering control.

Luna Victoria was behind him, her face pale and her hands clasped nervously. Her wolf

exuded sorrow and guilt, a stark contrast to the man beside her. She barely glanced at me, her

emerald eyes darting downward in shame. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and I couldn’t tell if

it was from fear or regret.

But it wasn’t them who commanded the room.

The Alpha King sat at the head of the chamber, his violet eyes focused and cutting through

the oppressive tension like a blade. His presence was suffocating, his dominance leaking into

every corner of the room. My wolf curled back instinctively, unable to face the overwhelming

power that radiated from him.

And then there was Alexander. He stood rigid near Alpha James, his ice–blue eyes finding

mine the moment I stepped through the door. His expression was unreadable, cold and distant

like the warrior I knew he had to be in moments like this. Yet his wolf stirred restlessly

beneath his skin.

“You’re late,” the Alpha King stated, his voice deep and unrelenting. He wasn’t angry. He didn’t

need to be. The weight of his authority made the reprimand feel heavier than a roar.

Regina stepped forward without hesitation, offering a low bow of respect. “My apologies,

Brother,” she said with perfect calm. “The girl needed some time to recover from her injuries.”

The Alpha King’s sharp gaze shifted to me, and I felt my legs tremble under his scrutiny.

“Explain,” he commanded.

The single word was icy and sharp. It cut through me, leaving no room for evasion.

I hesitated, but only for a moment. Gathering what dignity I had left, I forced myself forward

and bowed deeply, ignoring the way my body screamed in protest.

“My King,” I began, my voice low and hoarse. “The incident at the Sacred Moon Temple… it

was my fault.”

The room fell silent.

I felt Alexander’s gaze sharpen, though I didn’t dare look at him. My wolf whimpered weakly,

but I pushed it down.

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+8 Point:

Chapter 40: Struck A Royal Claim

“I provoked Lucas,” I continued, forcing the words to sound steady despite the tremble in my chest. “My behavior was reckless… disrespectful. I take full responsibility for what happened. His actions were in response to my… misjudgment.”

A sharp intake of breath came from where Alexander stood. His wolf bristled visibly, his fists clenching at his sides. But he said nothing. He held himself back, his cold mask unwavering.

The Alpha King leaned back slightly in his chair, his violet eyes narrowing as he studied me. “You admit fault for provoking an Alpha and violating sacred grounds?” he asked, his tone

cold and even.

“Yes,” I answered quickly, my voice dropping even lower.

Before he could say more, Regina stepped forward smoothly. Her wolf’s aura pressed over the room, calculated and powerful.

“This girl,” she began, her tone laced with cold sympathy, “endured a punishment far beyond what was just. Look at her, Brother.” She gestured toward me, her lips curling down slightly

into a false frown. “Beaten within an inch of her life, coated in silver. Her scars speak louder

than her words.”

There was a dramatic pause as the healer Regina brought with her stepped forward.

“My King,” the healer said, her voice soft yet clear. “Her injuries are extensive. Silver burns

cover much of her back and arms. The beating she endured was… excessive.”

Regina tilted her head, her lips twitching into a faint smirk. “And yet,” she said, her tone

sharper now, “here we stand. Lucas, the future Alpha of the Winters Pack, acting in violence.

Marcus, my son, forced to intervene to protect his mate from further harm. Does this reflect

the discipline expected of the Winters Pack?”

Alpha James stiffened. His wolf flickered like a storm waiting to break, but he stayed silent under the weight of Regina’s words.

Victoria let out the faintest whimper. Her emerald eyes glanced toward me briefly, a flicker of emotion flashing across her pale face.

Regina turned her attention to them fully now, her violet gaze cold and unyielding. “Perhaps the Winters Pack has forgotten the importance of loyalty and control within its ranks. My son,

Beta Marcus, stepped in only because the sacred grounds were disrespected under their

protection. If future Alphas cannot control themselves…”

Her words hung in the air, sharp and dangerous.

DIA

49 Point:

Chapter 40: Struck A Royal Claim

My heart pounded painfully in my chest as I stared at the floor. The walls were closing in, suffocating me.

The Alpha King took a long, deliberate breath. His eyes shifted from me to Alpha James, his expression as cold as ice. “And you, James? How do you intend to answer for your son?”

Alpha James’s shoulders stiffened even further. His wolf bristled under the dominance radiating from the Alpha King. For a moment, his lips parted as if he were about to speak–but nothing came.

The silence was deafening, stretching longer with each passing second.

Finally, he straightened, his voice low and tight. “I will handle it within my pack,” he began, lifting his chin as though to reclaim some level of control.

But the Alpha King was not finished.

“Your son struck a royal claim,” the Alpha King said, his tone hardening. His violet eyes burned with intensity as he leaned slightly forward. “He crossed a line, James. A line you let him cross. Do you think pack discipline suffices for such an offense?”

James faltered. His wolf flickered with unease, though he quickly regained his composure.

Victoria’s soft whine escaped again, a sound so faint only the wolves closest to her could hear. Her hands trembled slightly as she stepped closer to Alpha James, her gaze darting nervously between him and the Alpha King.

The air became heavier.